There weren’t many names in this year’s hiring cycle drawing more buzz than Houston Texans quarterbacks coach Jerrod Johnson. The 35-year-old interviewed with the New Orleans Saints and five other teams looking for a new offensive coordinator — including playoff teams like the Philadelphia Eagles, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Pittsburgh Steelers, and Cleveland Browns as well as the rebuilding New England Patriots.
Instead, Johnson elected to stay another year in Houston, where he received a raise and an extension, per ESPN’s Adam Schefter. He’ll continue working with young star quarterback C.J. Stroud under offensive coordinator Bobby Slowik which should give him a great opportunity to improve his stock ahead of the 2025 hiring cycle. If Slowik is hired away next year then Johnson is a natural successor on DeMeco Ryans’ staff.
But that didn’t leave Saints fans feeling happy. Reactions were mixed (some were turned off by Johnson’s lack of experience) but confidence in the offensive coordinator search is waning. Dennis Allen can’t afford to get this hire wrong. Here’s what fans are saying in the aftermath of Johnson returning to Houston:
Dang… Saints miss out on Jerrod Johnson. IT'S KLINT KUBIAK SZN NOW https://t.co/wWcdmoYRyD
— Trizzy Trace (@tracegirouard48) January 30, 2024
We’ll see an article soon saying they didn’t really want Jerrod, after all that noise that he was high on their list
— Saints fan (@saintsfan1228) January 31, 2024
Jerrod Johnson interviewed and declined more teams than just the Saints.
Also news flash.. Ben Johnson literally just rejected two HC jobs.
Lastly: Saints might’ve told him we’re hiring Kubiak 🫡.
— Quackin Saint (@GoSaintsAnDucks) January 31, 2024
Saints about to “we got an OC at home!” us so hard omg
— e.⚜️ (@whodathomo) January 31, 2024
Saints interviewed a lot of guys I would have loved as OC, and proceeded to hire zero of them lol.
— ⚜⚜⚜⚜⚜ (@WHOiSDaT09) January 31, 2024
At this stage I’m not particularly high on any of the #saints OC candidates. Of course I have no idea if any of them are going to be good or not. So I’m not going to be mad whatever direction they end up taking. Im completely in weight and see mode with that hire.
— New Orleans Saints UK 🏴🇬🇧⚜️ (@SaintsReportUk) January 31, 2024
Saints can't get an OC because the coach is an ahole and front office is a laughingstock.
— My back is big. Nuh, uh, I ain't ashamed. (@BrokeJackjonson) January 31, 2024
I don’t care who my Saints hire as their OC. I don’t watch coaches. I watch the players on the field. If a player sucks on the field, his coaches get fired. Wikipedia is a great source 🧐
— Kel (@KellumCollins) January 31, 2024
Saints gonna be passing out job applications at the parades for the OC position.
— Nik (@NikRichard) January 31, 2024
Man since the Saints keep getting turned down for the OC position the better promote Ronald Curry at least he wants the job😡
— Derrick (@dgranger46) January 31, 2024
Hilarious how no one wants the Saints OC job because they don’t want to work with DA or Carr.
— Mr. Hightower (@TheBawseIsBack) January 31, 2024
Desirable OC candidates are dwindling. Even if Kubiak is a nice choice, I would not say he is at the top of my list. 2024/2025 could be a rough year @Saints @RossJacksonNOLA
— Nick Wursta (@NWursta) January 31, 2024
“There’s only 32 of these jobs… The @Saints OC job is an attractive job for prospective candidates… Y’all being overly negative” pic.twitter.com/RZRTTYYQyd
— ⚜️New_Logic (@logicbrnr) January 31, 2024
Saints need to hire an OC soley because saints twitter isn't mature enough to handle them not having one
— Freaking about Football (@FreakyPeezy) January 31, 2024
The next Saints OC should be a 28-year-old from Texas that's averaging 53.4 ppg in D2/D3/NAIA and only runs four verts, inside zone, and read option.
— Patrick McGee (@wpmcgee) January 31, 2024
These Saints’ OC interviews remind me of my dating escapades when I was single. Lol. Thank God I don’t have that issue anymore.
— Shane Laird (@shanewlaird) January 31, 2024
I was told that he would jump at the chance of being the Saints OC 🤔 https://t.co/ZwozNzBoih
— Pels are Undefeated (in our hearts) (@rhymen0ceros) January 31, 2024
so basically saints are screwed on OC candidates unless we get Kubiak. but y’all wanna be mad at michael thomas for airing out this trash front office lol
— aidan⚜️ (@aidangmurray) January 31, 2024
Can’t wait until the Saints brass pretend they got the exact guy they wanted at the OC position
— Da Boot (@DaBootTragedies) January 31, 2024
Thought yall said that Saints OC gig was a top of the line job?
— Beek (@_oGbeeK) January 31, 2024
Me everyttine a Saints OC target takes another job pic.twitter.com/5607E0gKDI
— Da Boot (@DaBootTragedies) January 31, 2024
The fact that the Saints keep missing on their OC candidates tells you all you need to know about league-wide opinions on Derek Carr and Dennis Allen.
I don't blame people for not wanting to walk aboard a sinking ship. https://t.co/i5J349NOGA
— Stert (@BigTunaStu) January 31, 2024
